Chapter 39 - Exercise induces oxidative stress in healthy subjects and in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Abstract

Exercise induces oxidative stress in healthy subjects and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Oxidative stress occurs only when exercise is exhaustive. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who perform light exercise that is exhaustive for them also show signs of oxidative stress. This chapter discusses the way exercise creates oxidative stress in healthy persons as well as its effect on COPD patients. The possible causes of this oxidative stress are quite unclear. Antioxidants can ameliorate recovery after a bout of exhaustive physical exercise and can even protect muscle and joint injuries associated with overtraining in the long run. Physical exercise offers many health benefits. It increases high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and lipoprotein–lipase activity. Training partially prevents exercise-induced oxidative stress but not completely. Antioxidant administration prevents some of the undesirable effects of exhaustive exercise. COPD patients may get exhausted when they perform light exercise necessary to carry out their ordinary activities. In this respect, they are different from healthy persons who get exhausted only when they voluntarily perform heavy exercise.